What Whirl Needs
While most of the mechs may be leaving, there's one walking in the opposite direction, making his way further into Deltaran. He doesn't work here and it's unclear if he's even supposed to be here, but he wears an Autobot badge on his chest and that is enough to keep people from questioning him. Besides, the work day is over and everyone wants to go home, no one wants to squander their precious free time on him though a few are forced to when he asks them about Rung's current whereabouts. Eventually the mech finds his way to psychiatrist, sitting all alone and looking pathetic as all hell. Doesn't this guy have any friends to hang out with? "Yo." The voice comes from none other than Whirl, the empurata Rung may remember from that time he tried to educate Quickswitch about the cruel realities of the world. He's carrying what is obviously a keg of energon on his shoulder though he promptly slams it on a nearby table after announcing his presence. "I was told I would find you here.” Rung looks up weakly at Whirl. And surprisingly, he offers the empurata victim a small smile. "Well, you were told correctly. What did you need?" he says softly. He starts to gather some data pads into a case, acting for all world like Whirl hadn't tried to slice his throat previously. "A drinking partner, for one." Whirl slaps his claws on the keg, giving it a few good pats like it was a loyal gearhound. "There's no way I could drink this all by myself. Haha, who am I kidding? I can and I will!" His gaze turns from the keg to Rung, staring at him with that creepy singular optic. "But seriously, I'm sure I don't have to remind you about our first meeting. I wanted to apologize for it. In person.” "That's very kind of you to offer and I'm flattered," Rung says, but he sounds very tired. He gets up to leave. "But I'm sorry, I'm just not in the mood." He averts his gaze and stands, heading for the public transport platform. Oh helllllll no. Rung did not just rebuff Whirl's offer of free booze and long-overdue apologies. The cyclops is not pleased with this at all but without the ability to properly emote, it's almost impossible to tell though the way he speaks may give it away. "You serious? You can't be serious. I didn't come all this way, carrying -this-" He raps his claws on the keg. "For nothing." Whirl hefts the keg up onto his shoulder and begins following Rung. "Look mech, I get it, I was a slaghead but I'm an Autobot now and we're going to have to deal with this if we intend to work together." Rung stops for a moment and his optics widen a little. He turns around and stares at the badge on Whirl's chassis as if having noticed it for the first time. "..." "Alright." He says, suddenly, "give that to me. I'll pour the first one." Honestly, Whirl is just as surprised as Rung is about his Autobot status. Apparently being an ex-convict who was living on the streets selling drugs and ruining young femme's lives don't disqialify you for Autobot service. "That's what I like to hear." Whirl plops the keg onto the ground as he assumes dumping it into Rung's arms would cause the other mech to collapse into a heap under the weight. "So uh.." He scratches the edge of his 'face' with a claw. "..How you been? I heard some stuff happened." Rung does nearly fall over. The keg is enormous. Where on Cybertron did Whirl get this? He sighs, and instead of pouring a drink for either of them, he just purposefully knocks the keg over. And not only that, but he makes sure that the keg is completely empty. "Now," he says, "where were we? Yes, the question about what you needed. I am going to answer my own question. First of all, you do /not/ need a drink. You need to be seeing me, on a regular basis." Uh-huh, that's right Whirl, THERAPY. "WOAH! HEY!" Whirl can only watch and shout in shock and horror as Rung /purposefully/ knocks the keg over, emptying it's contents all over the floor. All that enerbooze, totally wasted. It's enough to make a grown mech cry. The cyclops is about to go off on Rung, but the psychiatrist begins speaking before he can, telling him that it's not drinks he needs but.. "What? Like therapy!?" Whirl scoffs at the notion. "You're joking, right? Tell me you're joking. I don't /need/ therapy, okay? I have my own ways of dealing with stuff and it's working just fine so far." Spoilers: it's not. "No," Rung says, suddenly taking Whirl's claws into his own hands gently and looking deeply into the cyclops single optic without flinching. "You need this. I never thought someone like you would join the Autobots, and the fact that you have makes me question your mental stability very much so." He lets go of Whirl's claw to bring up the ex-convict's records. "Oh.. my.." he says, optics widening. The records are quite detailed--and Whirl may feel as if he's being peeled like banana in front of an almost total stranger. Whirl has just enough time to let out a huff of frustration at Rung's defiant 'no' before the psychiatrist in question grabs his claws and stares into his optic like he could see into his very soul. He should feel uncomfortable at having someone's fingers all over his claws and he should feel angry about having his personal space violated, but he finds himself more entranced than anything. He stares back at Rung the entire time until the mech releases his claws and begins going through his files. Suddenly Whirl DOES feel uncomfortable and it shows in the way he averts his gaze and scuffs his foot. "Aw come on, I'm sure it's no worse than any other files you've looked at." But Rung's expression is growing increasingly grave as he scrolls through Whirl's file. "..." He absently reaches over and takes one of Whirl's claws again. "Well, no, unfortunately, this is the worst I've seen since before Nova Prime." Wait, how old was this guy now?! He looks Whirl in his optic again. "But that will not stop me from believing that you can become better. This is what I do. You are broken. And whatever I find that breaks, I will fix," he says in all sincerity. The worse Rung's expression, the more Whirl worries. His beating of Megatron when he was in the Rodion PD are in there for sure, there's no doubt about that. The suicide-by-Decepticon he attempted after he joined is probably (definitely) in there too, but what else? Immediately his mind goes to Feint and the dirt she had on him and whether or not that whole disaster found it's way into his files. His claws twitch slightly when Rung's hand takes hold of them once more. "So does that make me some kind of record holder?" Not that he's proud of it or anything. Wait, did he say Nova Prime? This guy is way older than he originally thought. "Some things can't be fixed," the cyclops says, his tone far more serious than before. "It would be extremely unwise to try.” "I know," Rung says sagely, "I know when I see something that cannot be fixed, but you are not in that category." The tiny psychiatrist squeezes Whirl's claws gently to still their twitching. "Besides, I know you want it. You would not have come here otherwise if you didn't. Surely, you didn't think, that you could just come here and apologize and then run off again? You are not that foolish, Whirl. I know you carry burdens, many of which you have covered with a callous nature. But I know, that deep down, you care, however, that side of you doesn't come out unless very extreme measures are taken.” The last person who handled Whirl's claws in such a manner ended up becoming closer to him than either of them would've ever imagined and the cyclops can't help but think of that person. They stop their nervous twitching and begin to relax in Rung's grip. "You're reading too much into it. I only came here to apologize so I didn't have to feel guilty about it anymore." Because you make the trip all the way out to Deltaran with a giant keg of energon to apologize. It's not like he could've sent a message or anything, right? "..And how do you know this anyway? You're talking like you know me but you really don't. You remember how I threatened to slit your throat, right? Does that sound like someone who cares? Does that sound like someone who can be fixed?" "But am I?" Rung questions Whirl. "I just read your file. And I have met you on a previous occasion." He pauses. "Yes, of course I remember. You ask me if that sounds like someone who does, but could you answer that question yourself, regarding yourself? If you wanted to know my answer, yes it does, it sounds like someone who cares. Someone who cares about hiding his real self, because to be seen as one truly is, now /that/ is terrifying. But don't you think, that one can learn to love oneself?” Whirl has never met anyone quite like Rung before. The way he talks, as if he's known you for ages, and the way he is willing to look past previous transgressions in an attempt to fix what is broken. He's a type of person rarely seen in times like these as most of them wind up dead in various, increasingly gorey ways. "Sometimes people are unworthy of love, even from themselves." He stares an emotionless, unwavering stare into Rung's optics. "I have comitted horrible sins against innocents, things I can never be forgiven for. What right do I have to love myself?" "I will admit, that isn't easy and isn't going to happen overnight. When I say love oneself, I mean it to be defined as acceptance. To realize that what has happened to you in the past, the choices you have made, the atrocities committed by you and to you, are all what make you valuable. No one will be able to fully see or understand the events in your life the way you do, and only you can learn from them and become stronger, and overcome." Rung sighs. "Whirl, all individuals are valuable at their base. And nothing, and no one, can strip an individual of that foundation. Life is sacred, Whirl. Everyone, even the worst of the worst, deserves a chance at becoming better, serving others, and last but not least, the ability to accept oneself wholly." That is a lot for Whirl to think about and consider. He's not sure if he's ready to accept the things he's done or the person he truly is on the inside, he's not sure if he'll ever be ready. In fact, there are quite a few things he doesn't agree with that Rung is trying to tell him but at the same time he isn't quick to discard them. He stands there in complete silence, staring into the doctor's optics, deliberating on everything he's just heard. "H-hey! What is this!? Are you trying to psychoanalyze me already? Is this a session?" He glances around. "Are we having a session right now? Because I never agreed to doing this therapy thing, you know." Quickswitch wanders into Deltaran from elsewhere. Making a shaky landing, he transforms from jet to root mode. From the look of him, he might as well not even know where he's ended up: optics vacant, barely a nod to Rung and Whirl, empty face jumping ocassionally with a small but noticeable tick. Things have been too stressful and hectic on the sixchanger's sensitive, fragile mind, "... Hmnn ..." He's not sure what drew him here, if he even knows where "here" is. Rung just smiles and laughs a little, "Then why did you come here?" he says to Whirl. And then he steps forwards to embrace the six changer in greeting. Except he does something unexpected and pulls Whirl in, effectively making the embrace a group hug. "I came because..." Whirl's voice trails off but in his mind the answer is clear. Because he wants help. Suddenly he finds himself pulled into a group hug, squeezed between the smaller Rung and the much bigger Quickswitch who just happened to walk in at the right time. "Woah! I did NOT sign up for this!" Quickswitch looks down at the tiny robot, "R-Rung?.." he comes to awareness. Breaks into a large smile, but still, sounds shaky, wavering, "Hey man, how are you?" He squeezes Rung affectionately. Then, he notices Whirl and abruptly backs off. The single optic, the claws, the familiarity of him, "You?!" he barks suddenly, "You won't hurt Rung this time, I swear you won't!!" Out come the disoriented six-changer's photon blasters, trained on Whirl. -Combat- Quickswitch hits Whirl with a ranged attack! Rung places a hand on Quickswitch's arm. "It's alright Quickswitch, he came here to get--" And the the six changer opens fire on Whirl. "Quickswitch, please...!" he cries, putting himself between Whirl and Quickswitch. "It's alright." He looks nervously at Whirl. As soon as that shot rips through his armor, Whirl can't decide if it's worse or better than the awkward group hug that just happened. As the pain sets in and the energon begins to trickle from his wound, he comes to the relevation that yes, this is still better than group hugs. "What the hell was THAT for, slaggin' freak!? We're on the same team, you jerk!" Whirl steps forward, claws poised and ready to strike when Rung steps in front of him, putting himself between him and Quickswitch. While he keeps his aggressive posture, the cyclops does not make a move, instead silently glaring at the six-changer from behind Rung. Quickswitch returns the glare, broken and divided. He won't shoot Rung. The blasters remain up, however, "You're going to hurt Rung--" he replies tensely to the-- yes, it is that empurata! I /knew/ I was right. /I/ say finish him off.--Isn't be an Autobot now?--Quickswitch's optics flicker and he raises a hand to his head, "I don't.. know why I--" he looks helplessly at Rung. Things haven't been right since that day he saw his friend hurt by that madman Cipher. His mind...something terrible happened to his mind and it's been this way ever since. He does not shoot Whirl a second time. "No..no," Rung says softly. "He won't hurt me. Everything is going to be just fine Quickswitch," he says. "I'm alright." Then Rung grabs Whirl's claws and pulls them downward, forcing him out of strike position. "He's just a bit overprotective. Now," he huffs, "You will need to see a medic about that wound," and he begins to usher Whirl towards the back of Deltaran, where he can rest on a recharge berth until tomorrow when the rest of the medics return. Whirl continues to glare at Quickswitch though he offers no resistance when Rung grabs his claws and pulls them down. "Just a bit overprotective? He shot me! I wasn't even doing anything!" He's then ushered out and into the further rooms of the Deltaran where he will await medical attention, loudly complaining that he doesn't require medical assistance. "..Whirl, I'm--" Not /about/ to apologize to him. Quickswitch's mouth takes on a hateful line. It's several clicks before his blasters disappear, leaving fists behind, "Only because I /trust/ you, Rung." He watches them go, the look of distaste at the empurata remaining. "Calm down," Rung says soothingly, "he didn't mean it like that, he's just afraid for my sake. I'm sorry, but you really need to see about that wound." Rung says. "I'm scheduling your next visit next decacycle, you'll be free, correct? Good, I thought so." After Rung escorts Whirl to a recharge berth, he returns to Quickswitch's side, looking concerned. "How have you been?" he asks. "All right, I guess," Quickswitch smiles, "How are you? We were so worried for you, but you're all right!" /All right?/ I'd hardly call this situation "all right.", "Oh.." he says, voice softer now, "I guess I'm not all right.. Things have been different, strange, ever since--ever since--that day. That you were first hurt," Quickswitch does NOT like to think about it, and when he does, the phantom sense of six different perceptions steadily increases, as does the /noise/. "I don't know what happened. I need help, Rung," Quickswitch shrugs and the look on his face is stricken. "But you matter first. As long as you're okay now.." "I'm... getting by," Rung says with a weak smile. "Thank you for your concern Quickswitch, but I am mostly wanting to know about your well being. If you are well.. then I can feel much more at peace." When Quickswitch says he's not alright, Rung sighs, sounding tired and sad. "Quick switch, I want you to do your best to just forget about all of that. I'm.. just fine now, so there's no need to further dwell on it. And I'm always here if you need help." He places a hand over Quickswitch's gently and reassuringly. Forget about it? He'd like nothing more than to do just that. So the words are reassuring, "...I would like to discuss something further another time, back in your office at the Decagon. Security is not to be trusted here..." Quickswitch looks down at the little elfin Autobot. His friend. The friend of every aspect of him. He reaches down and gives Rung another hug, "I'm so glad you're okay.. I'll be okay too, I think..” Rung gives Quickswitch a mournful look. "I'm not... " He sighs. "I don't work at the Decagon anymore and I don't ever plan to go back there unless absolutely necessary," Rung says, hanging his helm. "I'm sorry Quickswitch. But I couldn't stay there. I hope you'll be alright without me, if not, please come visit me in Deltaran should anything arise..." The varied aspects part with the sudden, shocking news. Fluid pours from the six-changer's optics under the stress of learning this, "...I-I cannot betray--" WHAT?! Isn't /this/ news. Quickswitch smiles and wipes away the errant fluid, "No worries. We'll explain another time. Going to be okay here? Hate leaving you like this." Rung looks grieved. "I'm sorry to have done this to you Quickswitch. But I promise you everything will be just fine. I'll still be here.. just .. not as accessible as before." He then offers the six changer another weak smile. " He pats Quickswitch's hand again. "Have courage, my friend. You are better than you know." Quickswitch nods mutely to Rung, gives him another hug, "Thank you, my friend..." Rung returns the embrace. "You're welcome. I know you have the strength to be brave." He looks up at the six changer, his optics bright for the first time in a long time. "Well, you'd best be off. Don't want those Enforcers to start worrying about you too much." His expression turns somewhat grieved again, but he waves as he watches Quickswitch leave.